How to Make a Mind Map With Microsoft PowerPoint

By K.C. Winslow

When you are struggling to understand or approach a topic or goal, a mind map helps you organize scattered thoughts in a concrete form. Mind maps are a type of graphic organizer. By presenting information visually, you gain a better understanding of complicated matters. You can create mind maps for business objectives, creative projects, school topics and more using the graphics feature of Microsoft PowerPoint.

Step 1

Open PowerPoint. Go to the “Microsoft” menu and select “New.” Select the “Blank Presentation” and click “Create.”

Step 2

Click on the “Home” tab in the menu bar and click on “Layout” in the “Slides” category. Select the “Blank” layout.

Step 3

Choose a shape to use for your main concept from the “Drawing” category. The rectangular tool and the circular tool are excellent choices. Use the tool to draw a shape in the center of the slide. Use the “Shape Outline” and “Shape Fill” tools to adjust the color of the first object in your mind map.

Step 4

Go to the “Insert” tab on the menu bar and click on the “Text Box” icon. Click your cursor on the shape you created in Step 3. Type the name of the central idea of your mind map.

Step 5

Click on the “Home” tab and select the line tool from the “Drawing” menu. Extend a line from a point on the central idea outward.

Step 6

Select a shape tool from the “Drawing” menu. Draw a new shape at the end of the line you inserted in Step 5. Adjust the color of the shape using the “Shape Outline and “Shape Fill” tools.

Step 7

Go to the “Insert” tab and click on the “Text Box” icon. Click on the shape you created in Step 6 and type a main topic that branches from your central idea.

Step 8

Step 9

Extend sub-branch lines from the main branches using one of the line tools in the “Drawing” menu. Go to the “Insert” menu and click on the “Text Box” icon. Click near the sub-branch line and type details about the main branch. Adjust the size of the font in the “Font” tab of the “Home” menu. Repeat this step for all of the main branches.

Tips & Warnings

Add images to your mind map, if desired, using the “Illustrations” menu in the “Insert” tab.